If I Could Turn Back Time
by Chrys-DASL
Summary: When Jane's accounting firm is raided by officials due to fraud, she finds herself without a job and without a work history. She thinks only a time traveling remote could help her, but can she get through without science fiction? For my 10x10 Challenge/NaNo2018


Jane (5): time travel remote (6)

 _If I Could Turn Back Time_

I never thought I would be in this situation. One minute things are fine, and the next I'm at the police station having to confirm that I wasn't one of the corrupt accountants stealing from our clients. Thank goodness for computers and tracking codes, otherwise I would be in jail right now instead of at home wondering what I'm going to do with my life.

It all started years ago, I'm guessing, back when the partners first got together. They decided it would be so easy to take a few dollars here and there, usually stopping at the one hundred mark for smaller clients and one thousand for bigger clients. What's a little pocket change if we profit from it? They did this constantly, but when new people came in, they would gauge them and either add them to the pool or cast them aside. I was one of the ones they cast aside. A mother to three kids? She isn't about to break the law, so I never even knew about it until they got busted.

That day? That day was horrible. I was working hard on an expense report for a very large company when the doors got kicked in, literally kicked in, by agents. I looked up and realized half the office was gone, which should've been a sign but I believed them when they said a bug was going around. I was just home with DW for her own illness, so I was naïve and thought nothing of it.

But they were on the run. They knew they'd messed up and made a run for it. That left the innocents in the office, and it took hours to convince the officials that we had no clue what they were talking about. We were sent home, and I said nothing to my family, not a single word. David asked me that night what happened at the company, that they'd made the news and there was an official reward to catch the top partner. I told him everything, and he stood beside me. He agreed to do whatever it took—I'd probably never get another accounting job in town because of them, or even any other town when they realized the company I worked for was so crooked.

So we agreed that I'd go back to school and he'd get a second job, and we decided not to tell the kids because that would be too much, and we changed our lives because of this.

But if I had it my way, I never would've worked there in the first place. I had two offers in the beginning, and I took the one that I knew paid overtime during tax season because I wanted due compensation for neglecting my family during that time. I guess I was after the money in their eyes, but they never propositioned me or anything. They never did much with me period, and I thought of leaving years ago to a place that felt more welcoming, but I couldn't beat what they gave me. I could work from home, I could take days off even during tax season to be with the kids—they took care of me so I remained loyal, but I should've ran from the get go.

I wish I could do that, go back to that day when I was fresh off bed rest after having DW. I was home for three weeks when I decided it was job time. I had Thora and others to help with the kids, plus Arthur was in day care anyway. What was one more kid in a facility if I needed it? It was a choice I knew I had to make, and the companies I found were open about it. I should've picked the other one that wanted pictures and names immediately, not the money.

By now, I'd probably have a promotion, have people working under me instead of the other way around. I would have that camaraderie, that sense of belonging with like-minded people. It took a special person to be an accountant, and those were special people at the other company. They were always nice, even after I'd gotten the job. I was always seeing their head accountant when I was around town, and she always said hello. She was always so nice to me despite picking another company—she had to have known! I mean, why else would I turn down a position at her company?

I never would've seen the inside of an interrogation room in real life if I worked for them either. One of their workers goes to our church and is the first to volunteer for things. They pass the plate at Mass with whatever they can give, usually more than I can give. I don't know if they're that generous or that well off. I've kept my head down for so long.

After a week of sulking, of looking through programs trying to see what I could actually put up with, David and I sat down together. It was late, well after the kids had gone to bed. He took my hands and sighed:

"I got the other job and I start next week, but my boss now…he asked about you. He heard about things, and he wants to know why you haven't applied at the other firm," David whispered.

I laughed, "Because I just spent the last, what, fifteen years, working for a bunch of criminals. Doesn't that void my experience?"

"You won't know until you try. I mean, it's not like you can go back in time and never work for them in the first place. That's not how things work in the real world," David said, squeezing my hands, "Give it a shot, okay? I'm keeping the second job though. DW has been begging for us to take her to Disney, and we'll never get there if we don't start now."

"A college fund is more important than Disney," I scoffed.

"Tell that to your daughters," David nodded, kissing my forehead before heading to bed.

I knew he was right, so I put away my materials and went to bed with him. The next morning, I saw the kids off to school before putting on my best suit. With my head held high, I drove to their offices and marched inside, no résumé in hand. I was going to wing it, not knowing if that still worked or not.

"Jane! How good to see you!" the boss smiled, leading me back to her office, "Come on in, let's chat!" she smiled, pulling me into her office and closing the door behind her. She sighed, "I was hoping you'd come over eventually. I know it's not easy—"

"It's not. I've been looking at college pamphlets my son brings home from high school, and I just—"

"He is growing up, isn't he? We can't have him taking classes with his mommy…unless that's what you want," she said, leaning forward, "Let me level with you, I'm not stupid, okay? I knew they did some dirty work over there, but I know you well enough to know you kept your head down like I did. You wouldn't risk your family over a measly hundred bucks of someone else's money."

"How did you-?"

"We go way back, Jane," she smiled, leaning back in her chair, "and you've been in church with me, so I've watched all of you over the years. Yeah, I wanted deep down for you to come to my firm. I knew you were good, but I don't hold grudges, and I don't think what they did should affect your well-being, your family's well-being."

"So you're willing to hire me?"

"Of course! I actually have a spot available right now if you're interested," she said, looking out to what was clearly an empty desk. It didn't even have a computer on it.

I smiled and stuck out my hand, "I'll take it."

When I got home that night and told David the news, he was excited for me. He knew that if I just tried, I would find success. I don't know how he did it, but at least I didn't have to go to Arthur's friend to see if he'd invented a time traveling device yet. Everything worked out, and I knew this was the right path for me.

~End

A/N: Piece number 20 of 100 for my 10x10 Challenge for NaNo2018. If you'd like to join me in the challenge, the themes are listed on my profile. For more info, shoot me a PM. Also, let me know when you've started posting so I can check out your pieces.


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